Robert G. Norton

Robert G. Norton, age 90, a resident of the Bloomsburg area for 60 years, passed away on Thursday, August 4, 2022.  Born on November 8, 1931 in Pittsburgh, he grew up in Donora, the youngest of 10 children, the son of the late Joseph J. Norton and Sarah F. Norton.

Bob was a 1949 graduate of Donora High School and a 1953 graduate of Slippery Rock State Teachers College where he met the love of his life, the late Patricia A. (Duffy) Norton.  Bob was the captain of the Slippery Rock basketball team and played No. 1 on their tennis team.  He spent 2 years in the U.S. Army from 1953-1955 and married Patty in 1955.  Bob coached and taught at Karns City High School and at Upper St. Clair High School from 1955 through 1962.  He earned his Master’s Degree in 1960 from the University of Pittsburgh.

In 1962, Bob was recruited to become the head basketball coach at Bloomsburg State College while also serving as a professor and supervisor of student teachers.  Bob coached basketball and tennis at B.S.C. until 1967 when the administration requested that he move into student life. He served as Dean of Student Life and Assistant V.P. of Student Life until his retirement in 1991. Over that span of years, Bob was known to be devoted to his students, doing anything to help them through their education and professional lives. He was the advisor for the Community Government Assn. and the International Students Assn., among many other organizations. He also took the lead in creating the on-campus child care center, managed the university health care contracts and the contracts for food service at the Scranton Commons.

Bob was the personification of loyalty and devotion. His wife Patty and his six children were his prime focus.  He was a humble but highly devout Catholic and was in the first class of Eucharistic Ministers.  If you were Bob’s friend, you could count on him for anything.  If you had been a student or player on one of his teams, you held a special place.  Bob was an avid sportsman, playing basketball in his younger years, golf in his later years and tennis his whole life.  He had tennis friends from Pennsylvania to Missouri, Arkansas and Florida.  For many years, he made annual November trips to play tennis for a week in South Carolina and Florida with a group of these friends and his son Gary, during which the group would celebrate Bob’s birthday with hilarious parties.

Bob was predeceased by his parents, his beloved wife Patty, his sisters Elizabeth Terza, Helen Norton and Margaret McConville and brothers John Daugherty, James Norton, Raymond Norton, Eugene Norton, Ralph Norton and Paul Norton.

Bob’s surviving children are R. Gregory Norton (Joann), Gary E. Norton (Samantha), Joseph J. Norton (Laurie), Amy L. Chesonis (Al), Timothy J. Norton (Pamela) and Kevin P. Norton (Heather). Grandchildren who will miss their Papa are Jessica R. Norton, Gregory J. Norton, Robert G. Norton II, Kenneth L. Norton, John W. Norton, Aishlinn S. Norton, Tomas P. Chesonis, Sarah M. Chesonis, Katherine P. Chesonis, Julia M. Norton, Madeline R. Norton, Maxwell J. Norton, Sullivan P. Norton, Brady A. Norton and Maeve E. Norton.  Bob will also be missed by his great-grandchildren Jocelyn and Kyleigh.